Electric heater



lMarch 3l, 1925. 'l 1,531,515

L. SIMMONS Epgcrmq HEATER Hind Apr-11 18. 192s Patented Mar. 31, 19,25.

UNITED STATES LEO SIMMONS, OIF 'WASHINGTONQ DISTRICT 0F COLUMBIA.

ELECTRIC HEATER.

Application ledApril 18, 1923. Serial No. 632,887.

A To all 'whom z't concern.'

Be it known that I, Lno SIMMONS, a citizen of the United States'of America, and a` resident of Washington, District of Columbia, .have invented certain new and useful Improvementsjin and Relating to. Electric Heaters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention-embodies an electric conductor adapted to become heated to a glow, red hea-t or incandescencecooperatively arranged with respect to an electric fan or blower for constantly moving a great volume of air into and from the zone heated by such conductor; and the objects and nature of the invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art in the light of the following explanations of the accompanying drawings that illustrate what I now believe -to be the preferred mechanical expression or embodiment of my invention.

An object of the invention is to provide an d electric heater, particularly of the portable type for domestic or otlice use, wherein'approximately the maximum room heating capacity of a heating coil or the like will be Vutilized by combining such heating'element in an improved manner with respect to means for setting the air of'the room into circulation and driving a rapidly moving column of such air into contact with and` through the zone heated by such coil.

With this and other objectsin view my invention consists in certain novel features in construction and in combinations and ar- `rangements as more fully and particularly setforth and specified hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a heater of my invention in4 longitudinal vertical section.

Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 2 2,

Fi I. 11 the particular embodiment illustrated, I provide a horizontally arranged tubular open-end housing 1, that is flared or bellshaped toward the front 2, preferably to serve to a. degree as a heat radiator or reiector, and this housing is fixed on and upheld by any suitable'supporting base'or feet 3, adapted to rest on the floor or other suitable support, whereby the device is rendered ortable and the housing is maintained in orizontal position.

I arrange an suitable electric-resistance conductor'4 wi the housing and directly the path of the air blast. produced by unit provided with base 10 xed air moving means, such as a blower or fan 5 preferably propelled by an electric motor 6, driven preferably by electric current from the same source of power utilized to heat the conductor 4 preferablyv to incandescence or to aglow or red heat.

In the example illustrated, the element to beheated to incandescence or otherwise preferably to a temperature at which the elemet glows, is arranged within the housing transversely of the longitudinal axis thereof. For instance, I show this element in the form of a vertical coil 4 located about centrally -witliin the bell or front end of the housing and spaced from the surrounding wall thereof, with the coil of approximately ring or annular form, or of approximate horseshoe shape with its ends separated. This coil is supported by and surrounds a refractory core 7 of split ring or approximatelyannular shape that is fixed to and upheld by a suitable bracket or posts 8 rising from and fixed to the .floor of the housing. These supporting posts 8 are, in this instance, insulated from each other and from the housing l, and form the electric leads to the heating coil 4, and these leads .However, I prefer, separate electric circuit controlling means for independently throwing the coil 4 and the blower motor into and from the power circuit, during the summer the heater can be cut out and the fan used for cooling. o

The blower 5 and its motor 6 to the floor of the housing in such manner that the blower is elevated and its axisis approximately alined with the'longitudinal axis of rthe housing and arranged directly behind and alined with the heating coil 4.

The motor 6 is arranged in the rear portionk of the housing with its fan or blower 5 spaced rearwardly a distance from the heating coil constitute a i and arranged to direct arapidly moving l of the fan and saidv mio planes are at right angles toI the longitud-if. i

nal axis of the housing," and the longitudinal axis of the approximately annular coil isapproximately alined with the axis of the fan and.. .w'ith the longitudinal axis of the I I housing, although I do not Wish to' so limit my invention. In action,` the heater is preferably located in the zonejof cool air near the lioor olav room and the rapidly rotating fan or blower drawsl the airl from the the room into .the rear end of the housingland drives the saine against the hot coil and its core and thereby heats the air'which is rapidly discharged vfrom the front or bell en d of the housing into and circulated throughout 4the room. I find by experience, that the temperature of a room can be rapidly raised by the use of my invention without setting up objection-l able drafts. j

.The tubular housing combined with the blower sets up an air blastthat is confined to and heated by the coil and by passing through the zone of heat created by the coil which zone usually extends to the wall ofthe housing surrounding the coil. Furthermore,4 the flare or bell of the housing and the glowing coil therein, also tend to assist in heating by radiationand conduction, in addition to the heating action by convection.

WhatI'claim is:-

An electric heater comprising an openfront longitudinal housing at its rear end having an air inlet, an electric fan carried by the housing and arranged to maintain a forward forced air circulation through said housing entering at the rear and discharging at the front thereof, and means trans- `versely arranged centrally within the front part of the housing for heating the circulan,

being stationarily supported and spaced from the surrounding housing wall, said body formed to be heated by said electric resistance to aid in heating the air.

Signed at lVashington, D.' C., this 18th day of. April, 1923. l 1

' LEO SIMMONS. 

